Promoting an interest in the history of Owain Glyndwr, the Welsh Son of Prophecy, his life, times and society and his great Welsh War of Independence;also promoting causes today in Glyndwr's spirit and promoting the flying of the Glyndwr flag on Sept 16 Glyndwr Day.

Cleddyf y Genedl: As a result of an item i placed on our blog, Owain Glyndwr Communicates, voicing concern in regards to the way that 'Cleddyf y Genedl' is being displayed and not securely safeguarded at MOMA in Machynlleth, 'Machynlleth Today', which I believe is a feature of the Northern addition of the Cambrian News, published a report and although we thank Scarlet Jones the reporter in question for drawing public attention to our concerns regards 'Cleddyf y Genedl' we feel that there is a need to correct or to clarify remarks given by Cllr Dunn, Mayor of Machynlleth, within this report which appeared in last week's 'Machynlleth Today'.

To begin with, he makes the point that the Council came aboard late in the day regards the Owain Glyndŵr Commemorative Celebrations of Mehefin 2004, this is not true, we had an informal meeting with the council in their offices early in the year at which we briefly outlined our intentions. Later, two further meeting were held with the full council, at which all was explained. We are very thankful to the council for the support they gave to us, to enable an excellent 1404 - 2004 commemoration which included an excellent 'Cleddyf y Cenedl' ceremony to take place. Regards the then placing of 'Cleddyf y Genedl' in MOMA, we accept all the reasons why, given by Cllr Dunn and we have no problem with it being placed in MOMA whatsoever - given that the sword in question is a modern work of art produced by Jason Gardiner a Master Blacksmith who has produced metal work of great quality for commissions all over the world. Thus, in this respect alone, we would expect a more respectful positioning of 'Cleddyf y Genedl' as befits the work of a craftsman Blacksmith, Then, there are other issues, 'Cleddyf y Genedl' was commissioned at great cost to our sponsor and we are concerned as to how easy it might have been for someone to just walk in through the backdoor of MOMA and steal 'Cleddyf y Genedl'. Whilst we were there taking photos, three people walked in and passed us on the stairwell. It would be so easy for some person to just walk in and, very quickly, carry out a “Smash and Grab”. We could see no CCTV surveillance in existence.

Surely, it is not unreasonable of us to request that 'Cleddyf y Genedl' is not only placed in a prominent place but also in a more secure one - as in a space in the front foyer of MOMA. The cause of our doing a report on this issue in the first place was due to queries, as to “where was this Sword of the Nation?” and complaints my many who had found, like us, that it was not in a good display position. We thus did our blog report and have written to the Town Council voicing our concerns and have requested that they insure that MOMA place 'Cleddyf y Genedl' in a safer and more worthy position. To date, we are still awaiting a reply from the Town Council. We thus stand by our suggestion that the front foyer would be a more appropriate place for 'Cleddyf y Genedl' than the back stairwell of MOMA.

Further, Cllr Dunn seeks to distract from our concern with critcism of me, in which he accuses me of insinuating that the people of Machynlleth are not patriotic. Nowhere in my item on the blog did i insinuate anything of the kind! Patriotic groups from Machynlleth and the surrounding communities were prominent in the organising of the 2004 Dydd y Senedd Festival and no doubt would be happy to contribute their labours to the organising of such a prestigious and colourful festival annually if the Town Council picked up the gauntlet and led the way. If there is to be talk of patriotism, I would suggest that it would be a very worthwhile exercise if the Councillors of Machynlleth Town Council and yes! the people of Machynlleth too, took a look on the internet as to how, in Scotland, Towns associated with The Bruce and Wallace commemorate their heroes annually, they would find that they do so in a very big way. Then, whilst at it, please go and browse the internet to see how Lithuania commemorates and celebrates 'Vytalis'their medieval national hero.

For the information of patriots of Machynlleth or any other Town in Wales with a Glyndwr association who seriously wishes to annually celebrate Owain Glyndwr, below are the three dates of particular Glyndwr appeal:

* 28 Mai - Dydd Geni Glyndwr.

(All Wales Celebrations and 'Elusen Glyndwr' Childrens Charity work).

* 21 Mehefin - Dydd y Senedd - Dydd y Coroni.

(Machynlleth National 'Gwyl Glyndwr' Festival).

* 16 Medi - Dydd Glyndwr - Proclamation Llys Glyndyfrdwy.

(All Wales & Corwen National Festival).

.

I will end this statement with the following quote of Cllr Dunn's taken from the Machynlleth Today report...

“In the dictionary a Patriot is described as a person who vigorously supports their country and its way of life. A Xenophile is someone with a hatred fear of strangers, their politics and their culture. I think its safe to say that we are Patriots in Machynlleth and there ramains a welcome in the hillside in these parts”

I am not quite sure what the aforementioned remark had to do with our reasonable concerns over 'Cleddyf y Genedl' but it seems he's insinuating that I am a Xenophobe! Well, my answer to that is that Welsh Patriotism should not be a matter of just rugby and Saint David's day or an `Ich Dien' slavish perverted patriotism but some thing a lot more solid in it's foundations and it's many mansions. Yes! Cllr Dunn we go beyond that aforementioned patriotism, we are Pobl Glyndwr and that implies that we are “Radical Nationalists” campaigning to realise Owain Glyndwr's ideal of an Independent Wales with a true democracy for one and all. I do not hate or fear strangers, their politics or their culture - so long as they do not try to replace mine with theirs in my own country.

Many “Welsh Patriots” and we Pobl Glyndwr - ''Radical Nationalists' have a right cause to be concerned that Machynlleth Council seems more interested these days in promoting Machynlleth or, as your council have long described, it “The Ancient Capital of Wales” as the ''Alternative Technology Capital of Wales'' rather than asPrif Ddinas Owain Glyndŵr. Apart from the efforts of OGI - when open, very little is done to promote and capitalise on the history of Owain Glyndŵr in the town. Maybe Machynlleth needs a PLAID GLYNDŴR to stand candidates for the Town Council, then we may witness a Gŵyl Glyndŵr being organised annually in the town to mark the celebration of Dydd y Senedd 21 Mehefin 1404?

Let's, for a moment, turn our attention to the Isle of Man and the great festival they hold there to celebrate their Parliament on 'Tynwald Day 5th July'. Photo below depics traditional Manx sports being played as part of the festival. We proposed to Machynlleth that similar, traditional Cymric games could be held there annualy to mark Dydd y Senedd.

The photo shows traditional Manx games being played on Tynwald Day on Tynwald Field, close to Tynwald Hill where an annual ceremony is held to commemorate the founding of an Independent Manx Parliament. This annual event is also held in time of 'Troad y Rhod' and is a most colourful event. Why doesn't Machynlleth and Corwen show the same wisdom in regards to annual commemorations of 'Hanes Glyndŵr' associated with their towns? Why is it that the two biggest and best Glyndŵr Festivals are held at Coity and Abercraf - in the South?

In conclusion, we would still ask patriots, Pobl Glyndŵr and all ''Radical Nationalists'' to write in support of Embassy Glyndŵr on this issue, e-mail Machynlleth Council, MOMA and Scarlet Jones - and direct to Cambrian News via their Machynlleth Today page on the web.

Sian Ifan.

Juratus Oweyn

I Gadw'r Gwir Gyda'r Coron.

PS: Any and all patriots who wish to see Glyndŵr events organised in their town, particularly national Glyndŵr festivals such as at Aberystwyth, Carmarthen, Caernarfon, Dolgellau, Machynlleth, Corwen, Ruthun and Harlech can contact Embassy Glyndŵr for assistance, we have the experience and heaps of information which will aid you in such a patriotic purpose. Contact:llysgenhadaeth@ntlworld.com